Listen To This Post
Chandigarh: Haryana’s Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led state government, accusing it of “completely destroying” sports infrastructure and endangering the lives of athletes, following the tragic deaths of two young basketball players in separate incidents in Bahadurgarh and Lakhanmajra last week.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Hooda termed the two deaths “not accidents, but murders caused by government negligence”, and demanded a high-level judicial probe, strict punishment for those responsible, and immediate government jobs along with adequate financial assistance for the bereaved families.
The senior Congress leader announced that after the Congress rally in Delhi on December 14, he would tour sports stadiums and facilities across Haryana to expose what he described as gross negligence, unsafe conditions, and crumbling infrastructure at government-run sports complexes.
Hooda also accused the government of failing to utilise funds meant for improving sports facilities. He pointed out that Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda had sanctioned a ₹12 lakh grant for improving the sports grounds, which, he alleged, was never properly used by the state authorities.
“World-class sports infrastructure created during the Congress regime has been allowed to rot under the BJP government,” Hooda said, adding that the neglect of basic safety standards has now started costing innocent young lives.
Expanding his criticism beyond sports, Hooda alleged that several major initiatives launched during the Congress government—such as Sports Talent Hunt programmes, Sports Academies, and preferential job appointments for outstanding sportspersons—have either been discontinued or diluted, severely impacting sports development and youth engagement in the state.
Hooda also targeted the state government on other key political and constitutional issues. On the Chandigarh administrative dispute, he accused the BJP of creating confusion and failing to protect Haryana’s interests. He also slammed the government over the long-pending Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, alleging that despite clear Supreme Court directions, Haryana has not received its legitimate share of water due to the BJP’s ineffective leadership.
Raising concerns over the Election Commission’s accelerated Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Hooda claimed the process was being hurried unnecessarily. He alleged that undue pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the exercise has led to extreme distress, even resulting in suicides. Hooda urged the Election Commission to slow down the revision process and conduct it in a normal, transparent manner.
The Congress leader’s comments have further intensified the political confrontation between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress in Haryana, especially at a time when youth safety, administrative accountability, and electoral processes are under close public scrutiny.
